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Predicted World Changes up till God’s KingdomOur Incoming World Government—God’s Kingdom
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31. How was Daniel privileged to introduce Babylon’s successor?
31 The prophet Daniel had the privilege to introduce, as it were, the “kingdom” or world power that was symbolized by the silver of the dream image. This was on that autumn night in 539 B.C.E. when Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, King Belshazzar, was holding a royal banquet with a thousand of his grandees inside the besieged city of Babylon. At the height of their feasting a miraculous hand wrote upon the wall the enigmatic words “Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.” As a last recourse, terrified King Belshazzar had to summon Daniel to interpret this handwriting on the wall. In explaining the last word “Parsin,” which is the plural of the word “Peres,” Daniel said to Belshazzar: “PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.” That same night the besiegers gained entrance into Babylon, King Belshazzar was killed, and the Medo-Persian World Power was set up. As the Medes and the Persians were Aryans, world power now shifted from the Shemitic race to the Japhetic race.—Daniel 5:1-31; 6:12; Esther 1:19.
32. In what way was Medo-Persia “inferior” to Babylon?
32 As silver is inferior to gold, the Medo-Persian World Power was inferior to the Babylonian. In what way? In that it did not exalt itself so high as did the Babylonian Empire, which destroyed the city of Jerusalem and its temple for Jehovah’s worship. Thus the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, appeared to exalt himself above Jehovah God, whose name was called upon the city of Jerusalem where the kings of David’s royal line sat upon “Jehovah’s throne.” (1 Chronicles 29:23; Isaiah 14:4-14) Also, with that overthrow of Jehovah’s typical kingdom in the year 607 B.C.E., the period of 2,520 years known as “the times of the Gentiles” or “appointed times of the nations” took its start. (Luke 21:24, AV; NW) Instead of trying to “resemble the Most High,” King Cyrus the conqueror of Babylon recognized Jehovah’s Godship.
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Predicted World Changes up till God’s KingdomOur Incoming World Government—God’s Kingdom
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Concerning the immediate successor to the Medo-Persian World Power, the prophet Daniel went on to say to Nebuchadnezzar: “And another kingdom, a third one, of copper, that will rule over the whole earth.”—Daniel 2:39.
35. When did Daniel learn the identity of Medo-Persia’s successor?
35 Those words would indicate that the “third,” copper-like, “kingdom” or world power would be more extensive than either the Medo-Persian or the Babylonian World Power. As copper is a semiprecious metal, inferior to silver, this upcoming world power would be inferior to the Medo-Persian World Power. In this respect it was not honored with any privilege like that of liberating Jehovah’s exiled people from their imprisonment in Babylon.
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Predicted World Changes up till God’s KingdomOur Incoming World Government—God’s Kingdom
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37. What exploits did the Grecian Empire’s “first king” perform?
37 Thus, more than two hundred years in advance, it was foretold that the “kingdom” that was symbolized by the copper belly and thighs of the dream image would be the Grecian World Power.
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